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All posts for the month March, 2012

I posted a version of this song with lyrics translated into English (along with the actual film clip) over two and a half years ago, and it started a nice discussion. But, of course, the clips disappeared. Fortunately, now I have found this clever video of the Hindi words and English translation both appearing on the screen. It’s done in a funny way, and since I have recently been learning some Devanagari, at first glance, I actually thought that the Hindi words were written in Devanagari. But, of course, that is not the case. That’s cute, and I also like the way the pics are floating around. I’m not crazy about the hipster company URL, or whatever that is. But overall, it’s still worthwhile… And there is a note at the end, showing exactly when Meena lived, reminding us that this is her 40th death anniversary… Which is why I’ve been indulging in Meena mania the past couple of days.

I’ve said elsewhere that Meena Kumari is my favorite actress just for being an actress. I know she danced a little and wasn’t so bad at it back in the day (and she also sang too, a long time ago), but I do have one favorite actress who is a favorite mostly for her dancing as well as one who is a favorite for her singing voice (or maybe two who are favorites mostly for their singing voices)… While Meena Kumari is just a favorite for the things that most people look for in an actress – she was such a good actress! And such a beauty, too (which is why she goes above Nargis on my list, though Nargis was also very good – sorry…). I’m not sure I understand the Meena Kumari of real life, but that’s another matter, and whether or not I try to ponder her tragic decline, it will make no difference in my admiration of her for her presence on the screen. (Plus, I would like to see more of her poetry, which is something else very interesting that she did.)

A couple of posts ago, when I put up some songs of Suraiya singing for Mehtab, some people thanked me for the chance to glimpse this actress who would become the wife of the legendary Sohrab Modi. And I also thought it was nice to find clips of Mehtab, who was quite a charming screen presence in her own right, as a few people also pointed out. But I knew I’d seen her in some other songs somewhere… And this is where: She was in Vishwas (1943), paired up with Surendra. This time, at least from the information I got in one place, her singing voice was Parul Ghosh. In some places, it says that Mehtab was singing for herself, but I am inclined to disbelieve that and go with the idea that it was always Parul Ghosh. On the other hand, I am absolutely certain that Surendra sang for himself – I would recognize that voice anywhere! By the way, Vishwas was the first film for music director Feroze Nizami, who would move on to be be MD for Jugnu, Chann Vay, and Dupatta, all major films for Madam Noor Jehan (though not with Surendra – that combination would happen elsewhere, of course).

I know I’ve posted the first of these songs before – possibly here, and definitely in comments on other people’s blogs. The others are kind of new to me (though I might have seen/heard one of them before).

I’d love to get this film Sanjog (1943). I don’t know how it is as a film, but the soundtrack certainly is a good one, by Naushad… And it’s got a 14-year-old Suraiya singing for Mehtab, the woman who would become Sohrab Modi’s wife (just a couple of years later). Mehtab is just adorable in these songs, too.

Suraiya had actually done her singing debut for Mehtab (and music director Naushad) just one year earlier. Unfortunately, there are no clips available, but there is audio, and it is a great song!

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